Planning
Creating a demand forecast that helps suppliers
Combine history, promotions, openings, lead times, and confidence levels in one update.
A forecast does not need to be exact to be useful. Suppliers need a number, an uncertainty range, reasons for change, and the date when decisions become firmer.
Decisions to align
Use these prompts to begin the conversation. Adjust the depth of review to your organization’s risk, scale, and requirements.
- Forecast horizon, level of detail, and update frequency.
- Baseline from actual use, adjusted for stock or unavailable periods.
- Promotions, events, seasons, menu changes, and location openings.
- Freeze date, capacity to secure, and upside or downside scenarios.
Working evidence to retain
Concise records help the team understand earlier decisions, control changes, and review outcomes without relying on memory.
- Forecast by period with version and date.
- Assumptions, confidence level, and input owner.
- Forecast-to-actual comparison and variance causes.
- Capacity, material, or schedule decisions based on the forecast.